Trees Fight Global Warming
Willamette Live - Salem Monthly
By Joanne Scharer
Environmentalists have been fighting to save old-growth trees for years. But could these trees be fighting to save the ozone layer? In May, Oregon Wild (formerly the Natural Resource Council) released a report that shows that Oregon's old-growth trees are some of nature's most effective global warming warriors. In fact, old-growth forests of the Northwest are the world's best carbon cleaners, constantly collecting and storing the air pollution that is the major contributor to global warming. According to the report, if we carefully conserve our forests, they can play a substantial role in mitigating our current carbon predicament. The report also says that old-growth forests store far more carbon than young forests, since most old forests are still growing and absorbing carbon. When mature forests are harvested, most of the stored carbon is released into the atmosphere. Carbon storage in forests necessitates letting then grow for long periods without major disturbance. To read the full report, visit Oregon Wild.
